Tapirid/E. MAMMALIA, Tapirid,e. 187 
destroying this persecuted animal, that of shooting 
tliem is of course the most effective; nevertheless, the 
sport is attended with much difficulty, as, when in the 
water, they are only vulnerable immediately behind 
the ear. Like the Egyptians of old, the present 
native Beyeye employ the harpoon, and our unhappy 
behemoth is drawn out of the water in all the agonies 
of a helpless resistance. On land the harpoon is also 
employed as the principal part of a trap called the 
“ downfall.” The instrument, loaded with heavyweights, 
is suspended from the bough of a tree, and is in connec- 
tion witli a string below, which being touched by the 
beast causes the weapon to descend on its luckless pate. 
The Hippopotamus is also taken in pitfalls. Its flesh 
is palatable, and very highly esteemed. The hide is 
extensively employed in the manufacture of whips or 
sjamboks ; whilst the canine teeth are especially valuable 
for making artificial teeth, the ivory fetching as much 
as thirty shillings per pound. For these reasons, 
multitudes of hippopotamuses are destroyed annually. 
Some naturalists believe that a smaller kind of hippo- 
potamus found in certain parts of Western Africa ought 
to be regarded as a distinct species. This form was 
first described by Dr. Morton under the title of Hippo- 
potamus minor, and subsequently as Hippopotamus 
liberiensis. One of its distinguishing peculiarities con- 
sists in the presence of only two incisor teeth in the 
lower jaw. Dr. Leidy has given a minute description 
of its osteological characters in tlie second volume 
of the Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences 
of Philadelphia. It has even been regarded as the 
type of a new genus. 
Family IV.— TAPIRID^, 
In their general appearance the Tapirs manifestly 
approach the pigs, whilst in respect of conformity to type, 
their considerable bulk, associated with a proboscidi- 
form muzzle and more exalted stature, retain a cogency 
of development sufficient to indicate their transitional 
character. If the skull of an American Tapir be 
Fig. 71. 
examined, its form will be seen to represent a pyramid 
having three facets, whereas that of the hog has four. 
A more significant feature, however, obtains in the 
elevated and arched character of the nasal bones, and 
in the lofty interparietal ridge surmounting the vertex 
of the cranium (fig. 71). The jaws are furnished 
with forty-two teeth ; that is to say, twelve incisors 
equally divided above and below, four canines, and 
twenty-six molars, of which latter, seven occur on 
either side in the upper series. A wide interval sepa- 
rates the canines from the premolars. The spinal 
column possesses only four lumbar- vertebrm ; but 
there are twenty pair of ribs. The bladebone of the 
shoulder exhibits a deep circular notch at its anterior 
margin ; the homologically corresponding bone of the 
hip, or ilium, being T-shaped. The anterior limbs are 
furnished with four digits; but the hind feet are tri- 
dactylous. The fossil genus Palccotherium has three 
toes on all the feet. The Tapirs are found inhabiting 
the reedy forests of tropical Asia and America, where 
they feed on grass and herbage. 
THE COMMON TAPIE {Tapirus Arnericanus) — Plate 
25, fig. 82 — is a native of South America, and, though 
found in all parts of the continent, from the Straits of 
Magellan to the Isthmus of Darien, is more particularly 
abundant on the east coast of the continent. It stands 
rather high on the legs, and frequently attains a length of 
six feet from the extremity of the proboscidiform muzzle 
to the root of the tail. The hide has a deep-brown colour 
approaching to black, being scantily furnished with short 
hairs closely applied to the surface of the skin. The 
ears are of moderate size, the eyes small, and the 
muzzle extremely attenuated and prolonged into a 
proboscis, which is naked and flesh-coloured at the 
tip. The neck is surmounted by a short, bristly, black 
mane. The tail is insignificant. The Common Tapir 
is monogamous and nocturnal in its habits. Selecting 
the deepest recesses of the forest, it snoozes lazily 
during the day, and when the shades of evening gather 
darkness, it wanders forth to commit its nocturnal 
depredations along the grassy and luxurious slopes of 
a neighbouring stream. Herbs ot every sort seem to 
be devoured witllout much selective care ; and, swine- 
like, it occasionally swallows putrid vegetable matters, 
as well as all kinds of garbage. A tame specimen in 
the possession of D’Azara broke open and demolished 
the contents of a silver snuff-box ! Even in the wild 
state, their stomachs have been found to contain 
various earthy products, besides pieces of wood and 
pebbles. The Tapir is possessed of very considerable 
strength ; it naturally exhibits a mild disposition, but 
when attacked offers a stout resistance. It is easily 
domesticated. The flesh is coarse and insipid. 
ROIJLIN’S TAPIK {Tapirus villosus) is also an in- 
habitant of South America. It is found, however, 
on mountainous slopes upwards of four thousand feet 
above the level of the sea. In some respects it is said 
to approach more closely to the Malayan species. 
The hide is of a dark black colour, and thickly clothed 
with hair. The nasal bones are more elongated than 
in other existing species — constituting a feature which 
occurs more markedly in the extinct genus above 
mentioned. 
THE MALAYAN TAPIE {Taph 'US Malayanus) or 
Babi Alu, is a native of Sumatra, Borneo, and the 
Malaccas. It is a comparatively rare and unknown 
animal, and was first introduced to our notice by Major 
Farquhar in 1816. Subsequently Sir T. Stamford 
Raffles communicated a more detailed account of this 
animal, which was published in the thirteenth volume 
of the Linnsean Society’s Transactions for 1821. He 
